WEBVTT "FALLING BACK" AND"SPRINGING FORWARD" COULD SOONTHINGS OF THE PAST HERE INMAINE.THE COMMITTEE ON STATE AND LOCALGOVERNMENT NOW CONSIDERING APROPOSAL THAT WOULD MOVE MAINEOUT OF THE EASTERN TIME ZONE ANDINTO THE ATLANTIC TIME ZONE,ELIMINATING DAYLIGHT SAVINGTIME.>> TWICE A YEAR, I HEAR THEGRUMBLES AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT,WHY ARE WE STILL DOING THISANYMORE?IT DOESN'T MAKE SSE.AND ISN'T IT A PAIN HERE IMAINE, AT 4:30 THE SUN'S GONEDOWN.ERIN: THE MOVE WOULD PUT MAINERSONE HOUR AHEAD OF OUR NEWENGLAND NEIGHBORS FOR HALF OFTHE YEAR, AND ON THE SAME TIMEAS PARTS OF CANADA AND PUERTORICO ALL YEAR ROUND.ADVOCATES SAY THE CONCEPT OFDAYLIGHT SAVING TIME JUST NOLONGER MAKES SENSE, AND THE TIMECHANGING IS JUST DISPTIV>> THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES DONETHAT HAVE ESTIMATED THAT THECOST OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGSNATIONWIDE, WE LOSE HALF ABILLION DOLLARS IN PRODUCTIVITYAS A RESULT OF JUST TRYING TADAPT TO THIS HOUR CHANGE TWICEA YEAR.ERIN: WE ASKED SOME MAINERS WHATTHEY THINK ABOUTE POSSIBLECHANGE.AND I THINK REVERTING TO ANATLANTIC TIME WOULD BE FINE.I THINK IT WOULD BE EASILYDIGESTIBLE.-- ADDED DIGESTIBLE.>> I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT WESHIFT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THEDAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIMES.TO ME, IT SEEMS MORE NATURAL TOBE IN THE ATLANTIC TIME NE.>> FALL BACK IS DEFINITELY MYFAVORITE HOLIDAY, SO I WOULDMISS IT.BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE ODD IFWE WERE THE ONLY STATE IN THEVICINITY THAT DID THAT.I THINK IT WOULD GET A LITTLETOO CONFUSING.ERIN: SENATOR BRAKEY SAYS,ALTHOUGH HE GENERALLY SUPPORTSTHE MOVE, HE AGREES IT COULDCAUSE SOME PROBLEMS FOR MAINERSWHO REGULARLY CROSS STATE LIN.>> IF THE FINAL BILL THAT CAMEOUT OF COMMITTEE WERE TO SAYTHAT MAINE WAS GOING TO DO ITALONE, I MIGHT HAVE SOME PAUSEAND RESERVATION ABOUT THAT.WE COULD PASS IT AND PUT ACLAUSE THAT SAYS ONLY IFMASSACHUSETTS OR NEW HAMPSHIREWERE TO ALSO DO A SIMILAR CHAN, WOULD IT GO INTO EFFECT INMAINE.

Maine lawmakers are considering moving Maine to a different time zone, but don't change your clocks just yet.

The proposal before a legislative committee would move Maine out of the Eastern Time Zone and move it to the Atlantic Time Zone by eliminating daylight saving time.

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"Twice a year, I hear the grumbles and complaints about why are we still doing this any more? It doesn't make sense, and isn't it a pain here in Maine? At 4:30, the sun's gone down?" Sen. Eric Brakey said.

The move would put Maine one hour ahead of the rest of the states in the Eastern Time Zone for half of the year and in the same time zone as parts of Canada and Puerto Rico year-round.

Advocates said the concept of daylight saving time no longer makes sense, and changing the clocks twice a year is disruptive.

"There have been studies done that have estimated that the cost of daylight savings time nationwide, we lose half a billion dollars in productivity as a result of just trying to adapt to this hour change twice a year," Brakey said.

Mainers who WMTW talked to had mixed opinions on the idea.

"I think reverting to an Atlantic time would be fine," Emilee Winn said.

"I don't like the fact that we shift back and forth between the daylight saving time. To me, it seems more natural to be in the Atlantic Time Zone," Brad Burkholder said.

"Fall back is definitely my favorite holiday, so I would miss it. But I think it would be odd if we were the only state in the vicinity that did that. I think it would get a little too confusing," Caitlin Morrisroe said.

Brakey said although he generally supports the move, he agrees it would cause some problems for Mainers who regularly cross state lines.

"If the final bill that came out of committee were to say that Maine was going to do it alone, I might have some pause and reservation about that. We could pass it and put a clause that says only if Massachusetts or New Hampshire were to also do a similar change would it go into effect in Maine," Brakey said.